Now there’s a Federal bill to require a smartphone “kill switch”

Ina Fried

Friday, 14 Feb 2014 | 8:42 AM ETRecode

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Nikada | Vetta | Getty Images

Following on the heels of a California bill, four Democratic senators on Thursday proposed a federal law that would require those that make cellular devices to equip them with the ability to be permanently deactivated if stolen.

Unlike the extremely broad California proposal, the Senate bill appears to target only devices with a cellular connection, though it is still likely to encounter stiff resistance from portions of the cellular and electronics industries, many of whom oppose mandatory kill-switch laws or have significant reservations.

The bill would require smartphones to be equipped with both a kill switch and the ability for consumers to remotely wipe their personal data from a lost or stolen device.